From left to right: Dr. Christopher Schneider, Dr. Robert Hogg, and Dr. Kathy Lewis

A Sociology professor whose community outreach is changing how people look at social issues, a Ecosystem Science professor whose research saved Canada over one-third of a billion dollars, and a Health Sciences professor who has dedicated his research to helping vulnerable and marginalized persons received this year’s CUFA BC Distinguished Academics Awards on Wednesday, April 3rd.

UBC-Okanagan’s Dr. Christopher Schneider received the 2013 Early in Career Award Sponsored by Scotiabank for his work in helping the general public to better understand the society in which they live. Dr. Schneider’s public sociology ranges from frequent media interviews, to conducting workshops for RCMP officers, to encouraging his students to bring a non-student friend to class to learn how sociologists look at the world.

UNBC’s Dr. Kathy Lewis received the 2013 Academic of the Year Award for applying her research on pine beetle-infested wood to defend Canada’s interests in front of a Softwood Lumber Agreement arbitration panel in 2012. Dr. Lewis’ testimony was key to Canada winning the arbitration and avoiding a potential penalty of $380 million.

SFU’s Dr. Robert Hogg received the 2013 Paz Buttedahl Career Achievement Award for his long commitment to using his epidemiological research to help save and improve the lives of vulnerable and marginalized populations. In particular, his work with HIV-positive persons has received both scientific and community awards, demonstrating the wide impact of his research.

These awards are presented annually by the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of BC (CUFA BC) to recognize outstanding faculty members at BC’s public universities who use their research and scholarly work to benefit the general public.

“Dr. Schneider’s public sociology demonstrates the tremendous power of stepping outside ourselves to look at everyday things with new eyes,” said Dr. Richard Kool, President of CUFA BC. “Dr. Lewis’ defense of Canada’s trade interests demonstrates the immense potential value of university-based research. Dr. Hogg’s commitment to vulnerable and marginalized populations is a perfect example of why we need publicly-funded research.”

Sheryl MacKay, host of CBC Radio One’s North by Northwest, emceed the awards dinner on Wednesday, April 3rd at the Law Courts Inn in Vancouver.

The CUFA BC Distinguished Academics Awards are in their nineteenth year and receive generous support from Scotiabank, CBC Radio One, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Victoria, the University of Northern British Columbia, and Royal Roads University.

CUFA BC represents 4,600 university professors, instructors, academic librarians and other academic staff at the province’s five doctoral universities – SFU (Burnaby, Vancouver and Surrey campuses), UBC (Vancouver and Kelowna campuses), UNBC (Prince George, Terrace, Fort St. John and Quesnel campuses), UVic and Royal Roads University.

2013 Distinguished Academics Awards Sponsored by